Chapter 320: Two-in-One -

The village chief had no idea where to sell these things.

Selling them for their weight in gold was clearly a raw deal.

But Yun Jiao had an idea. Grandpa Gu would probably buy them.

After returning home, Yun Jiao remembered that the large chest she had brought back was still hidden.

"Dad, Uncle, let’s go find the treasure."

Yun Xiaowu ran over excitedly. "What treasure? I want to find it too! Sister, take me with you!"

Yun Jiao said, "It’s a big chest. I brought it from the sea. It’s hidden, and we need to go bring it back."

"Did you find it on the beach again?"

Yun Jiao nodded, then shook her head. "I didn’t find it outside. It was inside a shipwreck."

Hearing this, Yun Linhai and Yun Linhe said, "You kids stop fooling around. Stay here and watch the house. We’ll go get the chest."

This wasn’t something they could let other people know about, so they had to be discreet. The fewer people involved, the better.

「Half an hour later.」

The Yun Linhai brothers and Yun Jiao successfully carried the large chest home.

"How strange. This big chest is still in perfect condition."

Everyone gathered around the wooden chest and looked at it for a long time.

"And it’s very heavy."

Only Yun Jiao, with her freakish strength, could have brought this thing up from the bottom of the sea.

Yun Chenbei tapped the wood lightly, a gleam in his eyes.

"This isn’t ordinary wood."

Yun Linhe said, "No kidding. Based on the feel and the sound, I’d think it was iron if it weren’t for the wooden exterior."

"You’ve studied with your master for so long. Can you tell what kind of wood this is?"

Yun Chenbei thought for a moment. "Master told me about a type of wood. It’s as hard as steel, doesn’t rot in water or decay in soil, and can be preserved for a very long time."

"If I’m not mistaken, this chest should be made of ironwood."

Hearing him say this, everyone became even more curious about what was inside the chest.

The entire chest was sealed, seemingly without any gaps.

"How are we supposed to open this thing?"

They searched for a long time but couldn’t find a single keyhole.

Yun Jiao patted the chest. "Why don’t we just break it open?"

A pang of anxiety shot through Yun Chenbei.

"Don’t! This wood is rare. It would be a huge waste to destroy it."

Yun Chenbei said, "How about I go get Master?"

"This must be a puzzle box. Master knows about these things."

Fair enough. It seemed like their only option.

Before he left, Yun Chenbei added a warning, "Jiaojiao, whatever you do, don’t break it. This wooden chest is very valuable on its own."

"Okay," Yun Jiao replied. "I get it."

Yun Chenbei left quickly, practically running to find his master.

He was genuinely afraid that by the time he got back, she would have smashed the chest to pieces.

It wasn’t long before Mr. Mu was practically dragged over by Yun Chenbei.

"You little brat! You’re going to run these old bones of mine into the ground."

Mr. Mu grumbled.

Yun Chenbei gave an embarrassed smile. "Master, take a look. Is that ironwood? It seems to be a puzzle box, too."

Yun Linhe slapped the back of Yun Chenbei’s head. "What’s your rush? Look how tired you’ve made your master."

Mr. Mu was all alone in the world, so he treated Yun Chenbei like his own flesh and blood. As a result, the two families were very close.

There was no need to hide the matter of the shipwreck from him.

Mr. Mu drank some water to catch his breath before walking over to the wooden chest.

He circled it just once before finding a hidden mechanism in an unassuming spot. Then, with a few deft movements that no one could follow, a seam split open across the top of the chest.

"Tsk, tsk... Sealed up this airtight. Whatever’s inside must be extraordinary."

Mr. Mu knew a little about the things Yun Jiao brought back from the sea.

They had never tried to hide anything from him. They just never brought it up, so he pretended not to notice and never asked.

Besides, some of the boxes were made of special woods. Yun Jiao had no use for them herself, so most of the wood was given to Yun Chenbei.

He wasn’t blind, after all.

Under everyone’s expectant gazes, Mr. Mu opened the chest.

"Is this... fabric?"

That’s right. The contents of the chest were, surprisingly, fabric.

Yet even after what must have been centuries, the fabric’s colors were as vibrant as if it were brand new. Under the lamplight, it shimmered like the surface of water.

It was like the light glinting off the scales of a sea fish in the sunlight.

He drew a sharp breath.

Mr. Mu stared at the fabric inside. "Take it out and let’s have a look. Everyone be careful."

"Let us do it."

Shen Yunlian and Wang Mei went to wash their hands, then carefully took the fabric out.

They even laid a clean cloth on the table, afraid of getting the fabric dirty.

"This... this fabric feels so light and soft. It’s even more delicate than human skin."